General damages
The award for the injury itself and the effect on your life, known as pain, suffering and loss of amenity. It is measured against the ranges used for injuries of comparable severity and adjusted for your circumstances.
East Sussex
Personal Injury Solicitors Brighton
Injury Law Specialists provides access to personal injury solicitors acting for clients across Brighton and the surrounding part of East Sussex. If you have been injured in an accident that may have been caused by someone else's negligence, we can review what happened and explain whether you may have grounds to pursue compensation.
Brighton is the largest city on the south coast, with a dense centre, a university population, a very busy seafront and the A23 and A27 serving it. That produces one of the widest ranges of accident claims in the South East, which we set out below.
- Free initial claim assessment
- No Win, No Fee may be available
- Clients throughout Brighton and Greater London
- 30+ years' collective legal experience
Can I make a personal injury claim in Brighton?
Yes, if you were injured in an accident caused by someone else's negligence in Brighton or the surrounding area. Personal injury solicitors acting for Brighton clients assess whether there are grounds to claim, investigate the evidence, instruct medical experts and negotiate with the insurer on your behalf. Whether a claim can be taken on depends on the circumstances, the evidence and when the accident happened, not on where you live.
The A23 runs into Brighton from London and the A27 skirts the city as the south coast trunk road, with the A259 running along the coast toward Hove and Newhaven. The city centre is heavily congested, the one-way system and the seafront roads carry a constant mix of cars, buses, taxis, cyclists and pedestrians, and collisions at the junctions and crossings are a daily occurrence.
Brighton has a very large hospitality and night time economy, a major university presence, retail, digital and creative businesses, and two large hospitals. Accidents at work reflect that mix: slips and trips in bars, restaurants and hotels, manual handling in healthcare and care settings, kitchen burns and cuts, and injuries in the older commercial and residential buildings that make up much of the city centre.
The seafront is a defining feature and a source of claims. The promenade, the undercliff walk, the piers, the pebbled beaches and the many steps and slopes between the upper and lower seafront are heavily used by residents and visitors alike, and falls there are common. The surface conditions, the handrails and the lighting all matter in those claims.
Key takeaways
- Injury Law Specialists provides access to personal injury solicitors acting for clients across Brighton and East Sussex.
- We help clients in Brighton. We do not have an office in Brighton and we do not claim to. Our registered address is in Luton, and cases are handled by telephone, video call, email and WhatsApp.
- Whether a claim can be taken on depends on its merits and evidence, not on where you live.
- Compensation has two parts: general damages for the injury itself, and special damages for the financial losses it caused.
- Most personal injury claims in England and Wales are subject to a three year limitation period.
- Legal services are provided by MB Solicitors, trading name of MB Legal Solicitors Ltd, regulated by the SRA under SRA ID 8000764.
Where we help clients in Brighton
We provide access to personal injury solicitors acting for clients across Brighton and the surrounding part of East Sussex. The map shows the area we cover, which takes in the main roads, stations and neighbourhoods where accidents most often happen.
Being clear about this matters. We help clients in Brighton. We do not have an office in Brighton and we do not claim to. Our registered address is in Luton, and cases are handled by telephone, email, WhatsApp and video call, so there is no need to travel to us and no part of the area we cannot reach.
Roads, stations and landmarks nearby
- A23
- A27
- A259
- Brighton station
- The seafront and promenade
- Brighton Palace Pier
- The Lanes and North Laine
- Madeira Drive and the undercliff walk
What types of accident are most common in Brighton?
What stands out in Brighton claims is the sheer density and variety of the city centre. Narrow streets, many pedestrians, buses and cyclists sharing the same road space, and buildings of very different ages standing side by side produce an unusually wide spread of accident types. It is also a city where evidence can be recovered quickly: there is a great deal of council and business CCTV, but retention is short, so asking about it early matters more here than almost anywhere else.
Road traffic accidents
The A23, A27 and A259 serve Brighton, and the congested centre, the one-way system and the seafront roads carry a constant mix of cars, buses, taxis and cyclists.
Slips, trips and falls
The seafront, the promenade and the many steps between the upper and lower levels are heavily used, and the dense city centre produces the usual volume of falls in shops and on pavements.
Accidents at work
Hospitality, healthcare, retail and the universities are major employers, and slips in bars and hotels, manual handling in care settings and kitchen injuries are common.
Responsibility is not always obvious. What matters legally is whether someone owed you a duty of care, whether they breached it, and whether that breach caused your injury. Our pages on road traffic accident claims, accidents at work claims and public place accident claims explain how that is established.
How do I make a personal injury claim in Brighton?
The process is the same whether you are in Brighton or anywhere else in England and Wales. Individual claims vary, and not every case goes through every step, but this is how a personal injury claim usually progresses.
- 1Tell us what happenedComplete the free assessment form, telephone the team, or message on WhatsApp. A short description is enough to begin.
- 2Free initial assessmentA solicitor considers the circumstances, the injuries and who may have been responsible, and explains whether there may be grounds to claim.
- 3Investigation and evidenceWhere a case is accepted, the available evidence is gathered, including accident reports, photographs, witness details and CCTV where it exists.
- 4Medical evidenceAn independent medical expert assesses the injuries and gives an opinion on severity and prognosis.
- 5Assessing financial lossPast and future losses are calculated, including lost earnings, treatment, care, travel and equipment where relevant.
- 6NegotiationThe claim is presented to the defendant or their insurer and negotiated on your behalf.
- 7Settlement or court proceedingsMany cases settle through negotiation. Where agreement is not possible, court proceedings may be issued and the case decided by the court.
For a stage by stage account of what the solicitor does at each point, see our page on how our personal injury solicitors help.
How much compensation could I receive?
There is no figure that can be applied to an injury by name. Compensation is assessed on the medical evidence, the effect the injury has on your life, your age and circumstances, and the financial losses it has caused. Two people with the same diagnosis can receive very different awards.
Special damages
The award for the money the injury has cost you, proved with documents. It can include lost earnings, treatment and rehabilitation, care and assistance, travel, equipment and future losses where the injury has lasting effects.
Our page on personal injury compensation explains both parts in detail, including the losses that can be recovered and how claims are valued.
Other areas of East Sussex we help clients from
We act for clients across the whole of East Sussex. These are the other areas close to Brighton, and you can see every part of the county on the East Sussex page.
Personal Injury Solicitors East SussexPersonal Injury Solicitors HovePersonal Injury Solicitors EastbournePersonal Injury Solicitors HastingsPersonal Injury Solicitors LewesPersonal Injury Solicitors Bexhill-on-SeaPersonal Injury Solicitors CrowboroughPersonal Injury Solicitors UckfieldPersonal Injury Solicitors Seaford
Personal injury claims in Brighton: frequently asked questions
Do you have an office in Brighton?
No. We do not have a physical office in Brighton, and we do not claim to. Our registered address is in Luton, and we provide access to personal injury solicitors who act for clients across Brighton and the whole of East Sussex. Cases are handled by telephone, email, WhatsApp and video call, and a client can be seen at a convenient location where a meeting is genuinely needed.
How long do I have to make a personal injury claim in Brighton?
For many claims the general limitation period is three years from the date of the accident, or from your later date of knowledge where that applies. Different rules can apply to children, to people who lack mental capacity, and to fatal accident and criminal injury claims. Because evidence is easier to gather early, it is worth taking advice well before any deadline feels close.
Can I claim for a fall on the seafront or promenade in Brighton?
Yes, where the council or the occupier failed to maintain the surface to a reasonable standard and that caused your fall. The promenade, the undercliff walk, the piers and the steps between the upper and lower seafront are heavily used, and falls there are common. Photographs of the surface or step, with something for scale, and a precise note of where it was are the most valuable evidence. Our page on public place accident claims explains the process.
Can I claim if I was injured working in a bar or restaurant in Brighton?
Yes, where the injury was caused by unsafe working conditions, inadequate training, defective equipment or a failure to provide a safe system of work. Brighton has a very large hospitality sector and claims commonly involve slips on wet or greasy floors, burns and scalds from hot oil or water, cuts from glass and knives, and manual handling injuries. Employers' liability insurers usually meet these claims.
Can I claim if I was hit by a bus or taxi in Brighton?
Yes, if the driver's negligence caused your injuries. Brighton has a high volume of buses, taxis and private hire vehicles sharing crowded roads with pedestrians and cyclists, and collisions involving them are common in the city centre. The operator is usually insured, and the evidence tends to come from the police report, bus or taxi camera footage and your medical records. Where the driver was uninsured or untraced, a claim through the Motor Insurers' Bureau may be possible.
How much compensation could I receive for an injury in Brighton?
There is no figure that can be applied to an injury by name. Compensation is assessed on the medical evidence, the effect the injury has on your life, your age and circumstances, and the financial losses it has caused. Our page on personal injury compensation explains how both the general damages and the financial losses are worked out, and why a reliable figure has to come from the evidence in your own case.
Will I have to attend court in Brighton?
Most personal injury claims settle through negotiation without a hearing, so attending court is uncommon. Where proceedings are issued, the case is usually dealt with at a court convenient for where you live, and Brighton has its own county court. Where a hearing is needed, we explain what is involved in advance.
What evidence should I keep after an accident in Brighton?
Keep anything that records what happened and what it cost you. Photographs of the scene, the defect or the vehicles, details of witnesses, the police reference if one was given, medical records, receipts for treatment and travel, and a note of the days you could not work are all useful. Brighton has a great deal of council and business CCTV but retention periods are short, so ask about it early.
Can I claim on a No Win No Fee basis in Brighton?
Suitable cases may be accepted under a Conditional Fee Agreement, commonly called No Win No Fee, subject to an assessment of liability, the evidence, the prospects of success and proportionality. If the claim does not succeed you generally do not pay our basic legal fees, and if it does a success fee may be payable. In many personal injury claims the legal cap is 25% of the relevant categories of damages including VAT.
Do you help clients elsewhere in East Sussex?
Yes. We act for clients across the whole of East Sussex, including Hove, Lewes, Eastbourne, Seaford and the surrounding areas. You can see the full list on our areas we cover page, or read more about how personal injury claims work across East Sussex.
Who provides the legal services?
Injury Law Specialists is a marketing and advertising platform and is not a law firm or a provider of regulated legal services. All personal injury legal advice, casework and representation arranged through Injury Law Specialists are provided by MB Solicitors, a trading name of MB Legal Solicitors Ltd, regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority under SRA ID 8000764. Any solicitor-client relationship will be directly between the client and MB Legal Solicitors Ltd.
The answers above explain the position generally. Every claim turns on its own facts, and the applicable rules are those in force at the relevant time. For advice on deadlines, see our page on personal injury claim time limits.
Who provides the legal services
Injury Law Specialists is a marketing and advertising platform and is not a law firm or a provider of regulated legal services. All personal injury legal advice, legal services, casework, representation, legal support, and any free initial assessment or consultation promoted or arranged through Injury Law Specialists are provided by MB Solicitors, a trading name of MB Legal Solicitors Ltd.
MB Legal Solicitors Ltd is a company registered in England and Wales under Company Number 12281731. The firm is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) under SRA ID 8000764 and is a member of The Law Society. Injury Law Specialists does not itself provide legal advice or carry out reserved legal activities. Any solicitor-client relationship arising from an enquiry will be directly between the client and MB Legal Solicitors Ltd.
Read our Regulatory InformationRelated information
Personal Injury Solicitors LondonHow personal injury claims work across Greater London.Solicitors for Road Traffic Accident ClaimsClaims for drivers, passengers, riders, cyclists and pedestrians.Solicitors for Accidents at Work ClaimsWhere an employer failed to keep you safe at work.Solicitors for Public Place Accident ClaimsSlips, trips and falls in shops, stations and other public places.Personal Injury CompensationWhat compensation can cover and how claims are valued.No Win No Fee Personal Injury SolicitorsHow a Conditional Fee Agreement works and what the success fee means.Medical & Rehabilitation CostsRecovering the cost of treatment needed after an injury.Areas We CoverThe full list of areas we help clients from across England and Wales.Free Claim AssessmentTell us what happened and we will explain whether there may be grounds to claim.
Injured in an accident in Brighton?
Tell us what happened and a member of our team can explain whether you may have grounds to claim, what evidence would be needed and how the process would work in practice. The assessment is free, and there is no obligation to proceed.
Prefer to write it down? You can also tell us what happened and we will come back to you.